Best Practices
Digital transformation has become a critical imperative for organizations to remain competitive in the digital age. Redesigning organizational processes is a vital component of successful digital transformation initiatives, enabling organizations to harness the full potential of new technologies. This review aims to explore best practices in redesigning organizational processes to effectively accommodate new technologies as part of digital transformation initiatives. It also attempts to identify successful best practices from companies through data collected in previous research and examine emerging trends and technologies that contribute to digital business success globally. The analysis focuses on three Portuguese companies that have demonstrated continuous development in the digitalization process and serve as exemplary case studies. By examining these organizations, the study aims to extract important insights and recommendations for other organizations looking to embark on digital transformation journeys. The findings from this review contribute to the existing body of knowledge on digital transformation and provide practical guidelines for organizations looking to leverage new technologies effectively.
The proposed research methodology encompasses a mixed methods approach, which combines quantitative and qualitative techniques to provide a comprehensive analysis. Initially, existing data from a previous survey will be used to identify key success indicators employed by organizations on a national scale. This quantitative data will serve as a starting point for understanding the broader picture of digital transformation strategies. In the context of this research, selected Greek companies will be scrutinized as leading examples. The criteria for selecting these companies will be based on their successful economic growth, their innovative approach to adopting new technologies, their digital mindset and their geographic diversity. These criteria ensure a diverse and representative sample covering different sectors, sizes and regions of Greece. It is noteworthy that Blueground, a Greek company originally based in Athens, can be considered one of the exemplary companies in this study. Blueground started as a small Greek company but quickly expanded globally. The success story of the company, founded by a Greek CEO, shows its ability to adopt new technologies, its digital mindset and its global expansion in a relatively short period of time. This case study will contribute valuable information to research and add to the academic discourse on digital transformation and process redesign initiatives in Greek companies.
Based on our previous research, which was part of the NextGen project, we identified several key performance indicators (KPIs) that are crucial to the success of companies digitizing. Our research involved a Google search, stakeholder interviews from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and focus groups in all partner countries (Part A1.2). Findings from these activities provide the following insights:
- Overall, the level of digitization across these organizations is quite varied, with some being more advanced than others. However, all three organizations recognized the importance of incorporating digital technology into their operations to improve efficiency, enhance customer experiences and remain competitive in their respective industries.
- Digital transformation presents significant challenges for companies of all sizes, including infrastructure upgrades, professional training and responsiveness to market dynamics. Despite these challenges, companies recognize the need to integrate digital technology to improve operations, enhance customer experiences and remain competitive in their respective industries.
- Employee resistance to change is a common challenge for some companies in the digital transformation process. To meet this challenge, companies must involve their employees in the change process, provide education and professional training, and recognize and participate in the digital transformation process
- Businesses across industries must be aware of the challenges of the digital transition and take proactive steps to address them. This includes investing in the necessary infrastructure and equipment, providing adequate training for employees and ensuring the security and protection of customer data. Furthermore, keeping up to date with technological developments is crucial to staying competitive in today's digital age.
- The importance/necessity of measures to protect customers' personal data against threats such as data breaches, cyber attacks and unauthorized access is recognized. By adopting data protection best practices, these industries can build trust with their customers and ensure that sensitive data is managed securely. It is also referred to the frequent change of passwords as a good practice in the protection of both the company and the customer.
- Businesses recognize the importance of digital transformation in today's increasingly digital marketplace. By investing in infrastructure and training and in new technologies, companies can improve their efficiency, reach more customers and maintain a good presence in the market.
- Employers should invest in developing their employees' digital skills through training to keep pace with the ever-evolving digital landscape. With the right digital skills, companies can increase efficiency, productivity, and worker and customer satisfaction.
- Investing in cybersecurity is necessary to maintain customer trust and protect their data. All three companies recognize the importance of cybersecurity and take a number of steps to protect their customers' data. They use reliable security software, implement access control procedures and train their employees to mitigate security risks.
- In the case of the three companies, there is no specific expectation in terms of future business opportunities, openness to the evolution of technologies and their interaction with companies and the market is clear. In fact, there is a general expectation regarding the importance and presence of digitization in business.
- Companies have taken a service/product-centric and customer-centric approach to digital strategies. They leverage technology to deliver personalized experiences, improve internal processes and expand their reach. By focusing on these objectives, these companies can stay competitive, grow their customer base and improve customer satisfaction. In addition, they prioritize the security of their digital infrastructure to protect sensitive data and maintain customer trust.
Based on our previous research on the digitization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), several significant gaps were identified. An important gap concerns employee training, where there seems to be a lack of adequate preparation for digital transformation. Many SMEs struggle to equip their employees with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively navigate and leverage digital technologies. Another notable gap concerns technological issues. SMBs often encounter challenges in adopting and integrating new technologies into their existing infrastructure. These difficulties can stem from outdated systems, limited resources, or lack of technical expertise within the organization. As a result, the implementation of digital solutions becomes inefficient. In addition, the survey indicates the need for infrastructure renewal. Many SMEs face obstacles due to outdated or inadequate infrastructure that inhibits their ability to fully embrace digitalization. Insufficient network connectivity, outdated hardware or inadequate software systems can impede your progress in adopting digital technologies and reaping the benefits they offer. Finally, the survey revealed a lack of a clear vision of digitization among SMEs. Without a well-defined strategy or roadmap, it becomes a challenge for these companies to navigate the complex landscape of digital transformation. This lack of clarity can lead to disjointed efforts, lack of prioritization, and inefficient allocation of resources.